SELECTION AND BLENDING OF FEEDS FOR ASPHALT MANUFACTURE

摘要

Methods are provided for predicting the properties of an asphalt fraction that contains two or more asphalt components based on measurements of the viscosity versus temperature profile for the components of the asphalt fraction. The viscosity versus temperature profile for each component can be used to determine characteristic (such as limiting) values for the viscosity and temperature for a components. Examples of characteristic values for an asphalt component are the asymptotic values of viscosity at infinite temperature (ηinf) and the finite temperature at which the viscosity diverges (T0). Once these characteristic values are determined, the characteristic values for each component can be combined in a weighted average to determine ηinf and T0 for the asphalt blend. Based on this ability to determine characteristic values for an asphalt blend based on the properties of individual blend components, appropriate blends of asphalts can be selected in order to arrive at an asphalt blend with desired properties.

主权项

1. A method for forming an asphalt blend, comprising:
measuring two or more viscosities for a plurality of asphalt components, each measured viscosity being measured at a different temperature; determining a characteristic temperature value and a characteristic viscosity value for each of the plurality of asphalt components; selecting a target characteristic temperature value range and a target characteristic viscosity value range for an asphalt blend; and forming an asphalt blend from the plurality of asphalt components, a volume percentage for each asphalt component in the asphalt blend being selected based on the target characteristic temperature value range and the target characteristic viscosity value range, wherein at least 50 vol % of the asphalt components in the asphalt blend have a) a characteristic temperature that differs from the target characteristic temperature value range by at least 10 Kelvin, b) a characteristic viscosity that differs from the target characteristic viscosity value range by at least 25%, or a combination of a) and b).